Folie à deux: Magic and Other Intangible Things
by Bawgdan
Summary: Shuichi Minamino can exist in two places at once, but sometimes he loses himself in a battle of what's up and down. (HieixKurama) A collection of drabbles and prose.
1. Depression

Shuichi Minamino often felt like a liar. And his lies were so good, that they would read well like a fairytale. But lies on top of lies had a way of deteriorating the mind – his spiritual state of being. _Their spiritual state of being_. Every sport, challenge, and obstacle he excelled at, but he couldn't determine if he, Shuichi, was just that good or if it were the thousands of years that pumped his blood. His existence was a singular high note that broke glass, but he chose to remain quiet. Because there was no one who could figure it out in the lonely stare he gave his text books. Or how he dully accepted all of his high marks and praise in class.

 _"Good job!"_

 _"You're so smart!"_

 _"So what's it like being at the top of your class and handsome?"_

 _"I'm so proud of you, Shuichi!"_

He thought he was simply selfish, ungrateful for not being moved by praise. But now that he was closing in his last year of high school, he accepted that he wasn't entirely happy. And that was ok. And he was not broken for not feeling the same as others.

Because his being was extraordinary. His lie was only told in fairytales, but there wasn't a man or woman that could kiss away what lived inside of him.

 _"Your mother is in the hospital."_

 _"It's not looking too good, Shuichi."_

And he was valid because good grades didn't save lives. Being good at everything didn't fix Shiori, his mother, _that woman_. All of the potential to do and be great was like a book collecting dust in a library.

Shuichi drug himself home early. Without giving a notice to his study group– _Why bother?_ He had bigger things on his mind and he knew the answers better than the lines in his hands. He buried his fists in his pockets, with his eyes directly ahead. He didn't want Shiori to die and he didn't like when his other half separated her from his psyche as if she wasn't an extension of him.

The walk home was different, and it had little to do with his sadness. Someone was watching him. Someone had been watching him all day. He could sense a power that could be malicious, but it was soft in its potency. And the closest thing he could compare it to was the smell of blood in a field of flowers.

Shuichi slowed his pace. His eyes darting over all the nodding heads that moved past him. He turned a corner into an alley way. Urging the presence to follow his shadow. Preparing himself for whatever anomaly would present itself. This was the lie that wrote itself in fiction and pop culture.

Shuichi Minamino could exist in two places at the same time.

"Kurama."

He had yet to adjust to that name. It rattled in his head his entire life, but actually hearing it outside of his body was stranger than his first kiss with Maya. Hiei shed himself. Sliding down the rooftop, and slinking over a fire escape.

"Hiei?" Shuichi sniffed. Wondering if he would ever get used to hearing _Kurama_.

"Shiori is sick. Right?" Hiei lacked taste and tact. It made Shuichi cringe.

"She is."

Their silence was filled up with police sirens and cars zipping down the streets. Gossiping high school girls and perverted thugs that hung out at the corners of traffic.

"I have a proposition," Hiei had some nerve. It had been a while since they had spoken to each other. But Shuichi hid his disdain with a straight face. Hiei propelled himself down and landed in front of Shuichi.

"Is it illegal?"

"Not if you like playing the villain..."

"Then no...I have no desire..." _Finals were coming up anyway_.

"It could benefit you and Shiori."

The absent thought of what Hiei did in his spare time when he wasn't scheming or being selfish presented itself...

* * *

 **A/N: I don't know what I'm doing. I guess one could file this as an AU.**


	2. Sugar and Salt

Over the course of his long but fleeting lifetime, Hiei had met many personalities. He once knew a blind demon with a penchant for collecting bottle caps. With the sole intent to eat them and when Hiei asked him 'why'. He responded gently with glass eyes that looked straight up into the sky. As if he were answering to what humans called _angels_.

 _'Because I like the way they cool my throat. Makes me feel good.'_

And that was enough of an answer. Peculiar, but enough...

Kurama– _Shuichi_ was different, and the closer he paid attention, the more nuance he found his traits. Kurama smiled at strangers, even when they didn't smile back. Even when they don't smile at all. He always held the door for women and men. When asked if he had a good day, he responded with more than a subtle grunt of the throat or a weak arch of a brow. He'd open his mouth, almost in a language that seemed so unrecognizable to Hiei, and say _'My day has been great. What about yours?'_

Politeness wasn't a definitive human trait. Hiei knew that, but he found himself somewhat endeared by Kurama's niceness. Even though Kurama looked sad often, he never lacked the ability to be kind to other people.

"What did he say?" Gouki peeled an orange.

"He said no, but I can convince him."

"Convincing wastes our time. How are you even sure he's Youko Kurama?"

"You shouldn't doubt me."

But Hiei didn't mind taking his time for once. Only for this one time because Kurama intrigued him.

"Why are you so kind?" Hiei asked. Kurama had paid for a girl's soda when she came up short on change. How could he house so much power and not be so indifferent to human sentiments. How could anyone surpass human afflictions and still find purpose in petty charity.

"Because it makes me feel good," Kurama looked directly into him. With a half smile. Now he didn't have enough money to slip into the drink machine. And he was perfectly fine.

"I see," Maybe Gouki was right for doubting him. Maybe he'd made a huge mistake. Or time really did its deed on the great fox thief.

"Was that not a good enough answer, Hiei?"

"It was enough."

An airy laughed escaped Kurama. It must not have been the first time anyone had asked him that.

* * *

A/N: This was inspired by two Rupi Kaur poems. Do people even read drabbles still? That's all I seem to really be good at. Long drawn out stories are so hard for me to write. But with these drabbles, they are going to be in chronological order, detailing the beginning and end of Hiei and Kurama's relationship. Who do you think falls in love first? Leave a review ~

 ** _"how is it so easy for you to be kind to people he asked milk and honey dripped from my lips as i answered cause people have not been kind to me"_**

 _ **"don't mistake salt for sugar**_  
 _ **if he wants to be with you he will**_  
 ** _it's that simple"_**

 ** _Rupi Kaur_**


	3. Epiphany

Shiori was beautiful and her love kept giving like the ocean.

"Shuichi, I've learned that there are three types of men in this world..."

She began. Staring blankly at the IV in her arm. Her eyes wet.

"Fishermen. They pick for all the things like most about you. To devour. To fill their starving stomachs. Then there are pirates. Who will scrape your surface for all that they can get. All that you will allow. The pearls hidden between your legs. The gold wrapped around your throat. And lastly there are captains. But they're a rare breed I've discovered. They open their sails to catch the kisses you blow in the wind. They anchor themselves within the curl of your tides. I've only met one captain. He wasn't my father and he didn't belong to me..."

Shuichi wasn't sure if he should smile or cry for her. The conclusion seemed sad, but Shiori didn't seem so upset. Who was he to silence her truth or judge it.

"I hope that I've raised you to be a captain," She coughed.


	4. Benevolence

Shuichi bent himself on his knees, sprawling his arms along his bed. His face buried in his sheets as he swallowed fifty metaphorical nails. He'd fasted for two weeks. A mantra looping in his head. Prayers confused with hopelessness.

 _So this is what failure feels like_ – he thought.

But life wouldn't be over. Shiori didn't want him to feel as though the world was ending. It was the first time he'd ever been faced with a trial he couldn't beat. And it had nothing to do with the demon attached to his bones. It had everything to do with Shuich and his humanity. Shiori and her humanity.

"Kurama," Hiei leaned inside his window like a spider. _Spiders are always hard to kill._ This had been the sixth night of Hiei's pestering. Shuichi said nothing. He remained stiff on his knees and didn't look up. The pins and needles rolling in his stomach.

"So?" He quipped into the darkness of Shuichi's room. His voice somewhat echoing. Shuichi's home had been quiet for as long as Shiori had been gone. As much as he disliked Hiei the past few days, his persistence was wickedly comforting.

"So..." Shuichi muttered back. Only slightly shifting his posture.

"I need an answer now, Kurama."

"I'm not a thief." And that was laughable for years worth of reasons.

"It shouldn't be such a difficult decision. Humans do desperate shit for good reasons all the time," Hiei knew because he'd seen in it.

"I'm not desperate," Shuichi was bad at lying. That was another thing Hiei noticed. He was quite the magician in his uncanny ability at making other people feel good. His words the smoke. His eyes the mirror. His body a workshop of many intricacies unfathomable to the richest scientist. But like most geniuses, artists, poets– Kurama lacked the ability to heal his own morose.

And even when he rose to look at Hiei. Despite the fact that Hiei irritated him, he retained a gentle facade. Barely a smile but not quite a scowl. The street lights poured and washed behind Hiei's small frame. His shadow reaching Shuichi's feet.

Hiei was the only person who made strives to see him.

"You never pegged me as a beggar, Hiei," Shuichi sniffed.

"Hmph. You think I'm begging?"

"I've said no each and every time so why do you bother? Sounds like begging to me."

The question stunned Hiei and he was incapable of hiding his instant response. His face twisted into a deep frown and his eyes darkened. Because he knew why he exhausted his efforts. Shuichi, _Kurama_ piqued his interests. Kurama was peculiar and he wanted more reason to figure him out on his own.

"Because I think you'd benefit. More so than me and Gouki perhaps," He beamed. His eyes glowing in the darkness.

"And if I do say yes...?" He wondered if Hiei would stop coming to see him. If that was really what he wanted. Because he had no one else if the plan didn't work.

"Then you'd being saying yes. And it will all be over."

"Hiei, do you really think so?" And his eyes were sad, focused, and glassy.

Hiei hesitated and bit back a snappy rebuttal meant to derail his empathy. Allowing a pause to drift in the space that kept them apart. Emotionally and physically.

"I can only assume so. Depends on just how confident you are."

"Then yea. Sure. Why not..."

"Wise choice."


	5. Tunnel Vision

Gouki didn't like Kurama and made it no mystery. In fact, when he needed to relay a message or refer to the fox demon, he made strenuous effort to not say his name. Directing the statement, question to Hiei.

Hiei then fully realized Gouki's personality. It didn't necessarily persuade a different opinion of his partner, but only a special spirit could reserve resentment for Kurama's ilk. And Kurama was privy to Gouki's disdain, but remained cordial. Promptly responding to Gouki's interjections with a coolness Hiei had yet to master.

If Hiei didn't know any better, he'd assume that Kurama purposely went out of his way to be kind to Gouki. In his own sweet spiteful manner. Even as Gouki held him up by his collar, shoving his back hard into a tree. Kurama stayed even with empty eyes. His expression entirely bereft as if he had already accepted death.

"Gouki!" Hiei hissed.

"This smug little shit thinks he's better than us!" Gouki spat in Kurama's face.

"I simply suggested a better tactic. The original plan is flawed," Kurama protested by not blinking. His lips a hard pressed line.

"Maybe it is! I don't recall being above criticism!?" Hiei's eyes darted between them.

"Gouki, I think you're projecting..." Kurama didn't stutter and Hiei could see a part of Gouki snap as his face contorted into a deep seated ugliness. He drew back his free hand and made a fist, but Hiei didn't give him time to strike. He unsheathed his katana in one sweeping gesture. Pressing the blade against Gouki's side. With the intent to slice open his stomach.

And Gouki held his punch in mid air. Confusion met with vicious reckoning upon his features.

"I see..." His laughter was a rolling growl.

A silence tip toed between them.

x

x

x

 _There was no wish the Forlorn Hope couldn't grant._

 _And Kurama's burdens seemed lighter as he contemplated the price._

 _Fear ceased to live inside of him._


End file.
